Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

1610 Carlisle Road, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011

Phone: (717) 737-0439 / Fax: (717) 737-5421

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Devotion for the week of May 16, 2007

Pentecost is the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming to be with the God’s people. The festival falls on May 27^th this year. Sometimes it is hard to grasp what the Holy Spirit is all about. A spirit, like a ghost, is without physical form. So, how do we know it is with us, and empowering us to be God’s people?

Martin Luther understood the Spirit as that which calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the people of God. Think about it. Something, SOMETHING, moves us to get out of bed and come to church to be enlightened by God’s word that we might be God’s special people who serve in God’s name. Something does that. SOMETHING moved us to come to web site to read this devotion. Luther says that it is the Spirit that does that. What else could it be?

The Spirit is indeed active in mysterious and wondrous ways all the time. It is just that we might not have thought about it in that way. When we are compelled to help another person in need, when there is no reason for us to do so… When we turn to God in prayer, when we feel no else is hearing us… When we say we are sorry, when we really don’t want to… That, THAT is the Spirit at God at work. What else could it be? For our human nature is to turn away from God, turn away from others, and focus solely on ourselves.

Praise be to God for the Spirit filling this world with the breath of new life. May it breathe the power of life continually in you.

Let us pray…Holy Spirit, you are mysterious and powerful. Make us so to behold your presence and delight in the work you do in, with, and through us. In Christ’s name, Amen.

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